Contact Details

Related Units

The Professional Development School District began with the opening of J.J. Harris Elementary School as a professional development school in August 2009.

In 2011, the Clarke County School District and the University of Georgia College of Education expanded this partnership to include the entire school district. We now have more than a dozen active sites and as many College of Education faculty members serving as professors-in-residence or on-site instructors. More than 500 UGA students participate in courses or field experiences at PDS schools every semester. In 2015, the partnership was recognized for exemplary achievement by the National Association for Professional Development Schools.

Learn About our Partner Schools

The partnership involves all 21 Clarke County schools at different levels. Eleven schools have a combination of professors-in-residence, on-site courses, and field placements.

UGA/CCSD Learning and Support

About the Professional Development School District

Our Vision and Mission

Vision
The Clarke County School District and the University of Georgia College of Education Professional Development School District aspires to transform education at all levels through a systemic, sustained and comprehensive partnership.

Mission
The mission of our partnership is to improve the quality of education for all our students through a student-centered approach that fosters:

Engagement in learning

Interdisciplinary understanding and problem solving

Critical inquiry and higher-order thinking skills

Authentic learning connected to real-world issues

A sense of civic responsibility

We will accomplish our mission by:

Engaging in shared inquiry focused on teaching and learning

Facilitating the professional development of faculty in both institutions

2008: College of Education faculty and administrators begin meeting with Clarke County School district administrators and members of the Athens community to research existing school-university partnerships in Atlanta, South Carolina, Illinois and Wisconsin. The partnership begins to focus on the professional development school model first proposed by the Holmes Group in the 1980s.

2009: J.J. Harris Elementary School opens as a professional development school, launching the partnership.

In 2011, the Clarke County School District and the University of Georgia College of Education expanded their partnership to include the entire school district.

In 2013, we assisted in launching Experience UGA, an initiative to bring every students in Clarke County to the University of Georgia campus once a year during their time in Clarke County Schools. Through a variety of field trips, students take part in curricular-based activities and become exposed to life on a college campus. Today, field trips are organized through UGA's Experience UGA.

In 2015, the partnership was recognized for exemplary achievement by the National Association of Professional Development Schools.

In 2016, we launched Camp DIVE, a monthlong immersive summer camp for nearly 100 children. This free camp combined literacy exercises with activities, creative experiences, field trips and community organizations to give kids in kindergarten through grade 8 a leg up on learning during the summer.

To date our partnership has:

12+ active professional development school sites

25+ College of Education faculty members serving as professors-in-residence or on-site instructors

500+ UGA students participating in courses or field experiences at professional development schools every semester

Newsletter

This bi-annual newsletter explores the unique partnerships between the College and surrounding school districts.